Favre told Deion Sanders of NFL Network that money was a major reason he returned for his final year with the Vikings. It was a terrible season for Favre, including a last-place finish for the Vikings, and a former Jets employee accusing Favre of sexual harassment during his time with the Jets in 2008.

Brett Favre told Deion Sanders of NFL Network that money was a major reason he returned for his final year with the Vikings. (AP Photo)

Favre's final season was so different from 2009, when he had a tremendous year and nearly led the Vikings to the Super Bowl. He wavered about returning in 2010, but finally decided to play one more year, largely because the Vikings upped his salary to $16.5 million, plus incentives that could have brought the package to $20 million.

"First of all, the money was too good," Favre told Sanders on NFL Network. "The money was too good, and I hate to say it's about money. But you know, I felt the money was a lot."

Most people think $16.5 million is a lot of money. So Favre took it, knowing that 2009 would be an extremely difficult act to follow.

"It was going to be next to impossible," Favre said.

"Now, that's not so say I didn't give my all. It just wasn't meant to be, and I think I knew that. I really know that now."

And if we didn't know it before, Favre reminded everyone that passing up $16.5 million is much harder than completing a pass.